[Annual] Kennedy, William: (Prout, Samuel, illus.:) The Continental Annual, and Romantic Cabinet for 1832. London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1832. Large paper. 8vo., p. [x], 313, [i] + frontispiece, additional engraved title-page and 11 further engraved plates. Most plates with their protective tissues neatly excised, one tissue (over 'View in Metz' plate) with a small square cut out. Sporadic foxing, mostly affecting plates and their adjacent leaves. Burgundy textured sheepskin, gilt spine and borders, a.e.g., yellow endpapers. Spine faded with a few scrapes, rubbed, corners worn but a very good, sound copy. To top corner of ffep, tiny blindstamp of Remnant & Edmonds, Binders, Paternoster Row. Recent pencilled ownership inscription to ffep. Inscription to preliminary blank: 'From her brother Jim, with much love, and all best hopes,/ to Clara A. Allan, in memory of 1885./ [illegible place name?]. July 20. 1907.' The illustrator Samuel Prout (1783-1852) was a master of architectural watercolour painting, and was a sometime teacher of John Ruskin. He was appointed 'Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary' to King George IV in 1829, and afterwards to Queen Victoria. Ref: 51733

[Annual] Roscoe, Thomas: (Prout, S., illus.:) (The Landscape Annual for 1830:) The Tourist in Switzerland and Italy. London: Robert Jennings, 1830. 8vo., pp. [vii], 278, [ii] + 26 plates including additional engraved title-page, as called for. Each plate protected by a slightly foxed tissue, but only very occasional spots of foxing elsewhere. Slight separation at gutter between frontis and engraved title. Green textured sheepskin, gilt title to spine, a.e.g.. Spine faded, a bit rubbed, lower corners bumped but a very good, sound copy overall. Signed to preliminary blank by the illustrator to his eldest daughter, Rebecca Elizabeth (b.1813). Recent pencilled ownership inscription to ffep. Samuel Prout (1783-1852) was a master of architectural watercolour painting, and sometime teacher of John Ruskin. He was appointed 'Painter in Water-Colours in Ordinary' to King George IV in 1829, and afterwards to Queen Victoria. The plates in this volume were engraved under the direction of the celebrated engraver Charles Heath (1785-1848). Ref: 51731

Banks, Iain: The Bridge. London: Macmillan, 1986. First edition, signed by the author. 8vo., pp. [x], 259, [i]. Very slightly toned towards page edges. Blue cloth, gilt title to spine, very vague crease to headcap but very good overall. Autographed to title-page. When interviewed by SFX Magazine in 1994 The Bridge was Banks' favourite of his novels, as well the one he thought to be technically the best. "Definitely the intellectual of the family, it's the one that went away to University and got a first. I think The Bridge is the best of my books."('The Books of Iain Banks - and Iain M. Banks') Ref: 51373

Blackmore, Richard: Prince Arthur. An Heroick Poem. In ten books. London: Printed for Awnsham and John Churchil, 1695. First edition. Folio, pp. [xx], 296. Title within plain borders. A few light smudges, but internally bright and clean. Near-contemporary speckled calf, raised bands, paper label to second compartment with title inked in an old hand, blind tooled borders, edges sprinkled red. Loss to headcap, joints worn, calf split at upper joint but cords holding firm, a few light scuffs, edges worn, top corners bumped and fraying, endpapers split at hinges, patch of skinning to front paste-down likely fron the removal of a bookplate. A very good copy. Small library code inked to front paste-down. The first edition (the second followed the same year, and included an idex) of Richard Blackmore's (1654-1729) celebration of William III in the form of an epic based on The Aeneid using historical material from Geoffrey of Monmouth. King William rewarded Blackmore with the post of physician-in-ordinary. Blackmore was less successful with other poets, and is the target of particular scorn from Pope in The Dunciad and other satires. ESTC R23258. Ref: 51084

Block, Lawrence: Hit List. New York: HarperCollins, 2000. First edition. 8vo., pp. [viii], 296. Quarter black cloth, black boards, red-lettered spine. Top edge dusty but still a very good copy indeed. Author signed to title-page. The second of Block's five works featuring the hitman Keller. Ref: 50459

[Bookselling ephemera] Sidney Kiek & Son advertisement. London: Sidney Kiek & Son, n.d.(c.1900). Single leaf advertisement (160 x 78mm) for the firm's Clearance Lists, 'The small prices at which many good books, perfectly NEW, are sold off after the first demand has been met will astonish you.' Sidney Kiek & Son were theological booksellers and publishers. Ref: 51672